Graphite articles have been used in the thermal management for various devices. Such prior uses of graphite have included the dissipation of heat in the z direction away from the heat source or the spreading of heat in x-y direction away from a hot spot exhibited on the heat source.
In the case of dissipating heat in the z direction, conventional wisdom is to minimize the distance between the heat source and the heat dissipation element. This is accomplished by minimizing the thickness of the graphite article and in accordance with conventional wisdom thereby minimizing the thru-body thermal impedance of the article.